The disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for enhancing images (collectively the “system”). More specifically, the disclosure relates to systems for enhancing the contrast and visibility within an image.
There are many contexts in which human beings and/or machines are impeded by low-contrast images. The ability of a human being to safely operate a vehicle or other type of machine can be substantially impeded by a relatively dark environment. Night time driving is substantially more difficult and dangerous than day time driving. It is estimated that 28% of driving occurs at night; however, it is estimated that night time driving is responsible for over 62% of pedestrian fatalities. Standard headlights on a “low beam” typically illuminate approximately 60 meters ahead of the vehicle. At a speed of 60 miles per hour, a driver has approximately three seconds to react to a visible obstacle. Further complicating the visibility of the driver is the glare of headlights from one or more vehicles traveling in one or more directions. The scope of what is visible also complicates driver assistance with respect to vision. A technology that improves the visibility of letters on a street sign may not be satisfactory with respect to the visibility of objects on the road, and vice versa.
There are many other contexts in which human beings are impeded by poor visibility in dark (e.g. low contrast) environments. Whether the task is navigation, the operation of equipment, or simply observation, human beings are adversely impacted by an inability to observe “contrast” in his or her surroundings. Difficulties associated with low contrast environments are not limited to human beings. Sensors and the various machines that rely on those sensors can also be negatively impacted by relatively dark environments. There are numerous examples in the known art where automated processing is performed in response to information obtained from various vision sensors/imagers. Security applications, industrial robots, automated vehicles, military devices, and other applications involving automated machines utilizing images captured from various vision sensors are often impeded by low contrast/poor visibility environments. Further complicating the processing of low-contrast images are the difficulties associated with enhancing a low-contrast image while simultaneously improving the visibility of text on a reflective street sign within the enhanced image.